The present invention relates to a new and improved method of, and apparatus for, the fabrication of portable or transportable, substantially tubular-shaped packages or product or package rolls composed of printed products, such as typically although not exclusively, newspapers, periodicals and the like. The invention also relates to an improved tubular-shaped package or package roll formed according to the method.
In its more particular aspects the method for the fabrication of portable, substantially tubular-shaped product or package rolls formed of printed products, such as newspapers, periodicals and the like, contemplates winding up into a product or package roll printed products arriving or delivered in imbricated formation. About the thus formed product or package roll there is placed a holding or retention element for holding together the product or package roll.
The invention also concerns an apparatus for the fabrication of portable or readily transportable, substantially tubular-shaped product or package rolls formed of printed products, such as newspapers, periodicals and the like, which comprises an apparatus or device for winding up of the printed products infed in imbricated formation so as to form a product or package roll and for the application of a holding or retention element which extends about the product or package roll for retention or holding together of such product or package roll.
As further noted previously, the present invention is also concerned with a product or package roll which is produced in accordance with the method aspects of the present development. This product or package roll comprises a package roll or roll member formed by wound-up printed products and which package roll is retained together by a holding or retention element.
In German Published Patent Application No. 3,330,485 and the cognate British Published Patent Application No. 2,126,188, published Mar. 21, 1984 and the aforementioned cognate, copending U.S. application Ser. No. 06/818,356, filed Jan. 13, 1986, , now U.S. Pat. No. 4,688,268, granted Aug. 25, 1987, it is known in this technology to form shipment-ready packages by winding up printed products into a package roll and which arrive in imbricated formation. These packages or package rolls can be manually transported and the individual printed products can be removed from the center of the package or package roll. The disintegration of the package or package roll is prevented by placement thereabout of a wrapper or envelope or equivalent retention structure.